Carnation plant named ‘CFPC Lani’

ABSTRACT

A new variety of carnation plant named ‘CFPC Lani’ having medium size flowers. The flower color is a purple stained cream yellow base with a purple splash broad picotee.

Latin name of the genus and species: Botanical classification: Dianthuscaryophyllus.

Variety denomination: The new carnation variety denomination is ‘CFPCLani’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of hybridcarnation botanically known as Dianthus caryophyllus, and referred to bythe cultivar name ‘CFPC Lani’.

‘CFPC Lani’, identified as selection no. 020535, originated from a crossmade by Roy Stahlhut in a controlled breeding program in Salinas, Calif.The female parent of the new variety is the unpatented variety known asselection no. 000277 and the male parent is the unpatented variety knownas selection no. 000271. The new variety ‘CFPC Lani’ has been asexuallyreproduced by vegetative side shoot cuttings in Salinas, Calif. and thedistinguishing characteristics are retained through successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘CFPC Lani’ is a potted spray-type of carnation plant variety havingmedium size flowers. The flower color is a purple stained cream yellowbase with a purple splash broad picotee.

COMPARISON WITH FEMALE PARENT

Plants of the new carnation variety ‘CFPC Lani’ are dissimilar to plantsof the female parent selection no. 000277 in plant habit and growthrate. In side-by-side comparisons in Salinas, Calif., under commercialpractice, plants of the new carnation variety ‘CFPC Lani’ differed fromplants of the female parent in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. The new variety ‘CFPC Lani’ produces more flowers per        peduncle than the female parent.    -   2. The new variety ‘CFPC Lani’ produces flowers with a more even        peduncle development than the female parent.

COMPARISON WITH MALE PARENT

Plants of the new carnation variety ‘CFPC Lani’ are dissimilar to plantsof the male parent selection no. 000271 in plant habit and growth rate,and differed from plants of the male parent in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. The new variety ‘CFPC Lani’ produces bright purple flowers        with a purple picotee while the male parent produces light red        flowers.    -   2. The new variety ‘CFPC Lani’ produces plants with a better bud        count and peduncle form than plants of the male parent.

COMPARISON WITH SIMILAR VARIETIES

Plants of the new carnation variety ‘CFPC Lani’ are similar to plants ofthe patent pending variety ‘CFPC Lahana’ (U.S. Plant patent applicationSer. No. 11/177,826) in plant habit and growth rate. However, undersimilar growing conditions in Salinas, Calif., under commercialpractice, plants of the new carnation variety ‘CFPC Lani’ differed fromplants of ‘CFPC Lahana’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. The new variety ‘CFPC Lani’ produces bright purple flowers        with a purple picotee while ‘CFPC Lahana’ produces burgundy        flowers with a burgundy picotee.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATION

Typical specimens of the plant and flowers for the new carnation variety‘CFPC Lani’ are shown in the accompanying photograph. The colors shownare as true as possible within the usual limits of this kind ofillustration.

FIG. 1 is a whole plant view of the new variety ‘CFPC Lani’ grown in apot. The plant shown in the illustration is 119 days from date ofplanting.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description of the new carnation variety ‘CFPC Lani’ is ofplants 119 days from the date of planting grown in a commercialgreenhouse in Salinas, Calif. in the month of December. The cultivar hasnot been observed under all possible environmental conditions. Thephenotype may vary significantly with variations in the environment suchas temperature, length of day and light intensity without any variancein genotype.

Plants of the new variety have been grown successfully under temperatureconditions averaging about 18° C. at night and about 24° C. to 28° C.during the day under light conditions of about 12 hours. Plants aredaylight neutral and flower throughout the year. Chemical growthregulators are not required for production.

The new variety may be produced as a potted spray-type carnation. Toproduce a commercial product the plants may be pinched once with thecenter bud removed. Pinched plants are about 17.8 cm tall and about 16.5cm in diameter. Flower diameter averages about 5.1 cm with a crown ofabout 1.9 cm. Foliage is generally about 7.6 cm long and about 0.7-1.0cm at the widest point. The typical container size for commercial growthis 4½ inches. It has been observed that the shelf life of the newvariety is about 21 days with the first appearance of color in the budsoccurring at about 100-110 days after planting of cuttings. Thecommercial classification of the new carnation variety is a pottedspray-type.

The following description is with respect to a plant produced as apotted spray-type. The plant and flower measurements and foliage sizeare established as an average using standard commercial culturalpractices. In the description of this new carnation variety, colorvalues have been taken from The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart(R.H.S.C.C.).

PLANT

-   Height (cm): 17.8.-   Form: Herbaceous.-   Growing habit: Semi-upright.-   Branching characteristics: 2-3 laterals per stem.-   Breaking action: 4-5 breaks per plant with strong straight stems.-   First appearance of color in buds: 100-110 days after planting.-   Vigor: Very good.-   Shelf life: 21 days.-   Blooming habit: Spray type.-   Blooming season: Year round.-   Lastingness of blooms: About 10 days.-   Disease (susceptibility/resistance observed): Good resistance to    soil-borne diseases such as Fusarium oxysporum and F. graminearium,    and root rots such as damping off, water molds and similar types, as    is typical of carnations.-   Pest (susceptibility/resistance observed): None observed.-   Drought and temperature (susceptibility/resistance observed): None    observed.-   Mutation prone: No.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Side shoot cuttings.        -   Time to rooting.—19 days with soil temperatures of 18° C. to            21° C.        -   Rooting habit.—Good fibrous system.-   Growth treatments or special conditions: None.

FOLIAGE

-   Stem:    -   -   Diameter.—Base (cm): 0.6. Apex (cm): 0.1.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Cross section.—Edged.        -   Color.—139A after removal of waxy coating.-   Number of leaves per lateral branch: 16-18.-   Arrangement of leaves: Bi-lateral along the stem.    -   -   Shape of leaf.—Long, narrow, lanceolate.        -   Size of leaf.—Width (cm): 0.7-1.0. Length (cm): 7.6.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute.        -   Edge.—Smooth.        -   Surface texture.—Top: smooth. Bottom: smooth.-   Leaf venation: Prominent mid-vein at underside.-   Leaf longitudinal axis: Rolled.-   Leaf cross section (upper side): Weakly concave.-   Leaf color:    -   -   Mature leaf, upper side.—137A after removal of waxy coating.        -   Mature leaf, under side.—137B after removal of waxy coating.        -   Young leaf, upper side.—137A after removal of waxy coating.        -   Young leaf, under side.—137B after removal of waxy coating.-   Leaf waxy layer: Medium.

FLOWER

-   Flower appearance: Matte.-   Flower type: Semi-double.-   Flower profile of upper part of corolla: Flat convex.-   Flower profile of lower part of corolla: Concave.-   Flower shape: Flattened dome, round.-   Number of blossoms per branch: 18-20.    -   -   Depth of fully expanded blossoms (cm).—1.9.        -   Diameter of fully expanded blossoms (cm).—5.1.-   Calyx:    -   -   Sepals number.—5.        -   Length (cm).—0.9.        -   Width (cm).—0.9.        -   Color.—Outer side: middle to tip: 137C. Base: 147D. Inner            side: 138C.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Appearance.—Matte.        -   Shape.—Cylindrical.-   Flower petals:    -   -   Form/shape: Fan shaped.        -   Petal edge.—Serrated: Width (mm): 1-2. Depth (mm): 1-2. Edge            type: crenate-dentate.        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Appearance.—Matte.        -   Petal surface of blade.—Undulating.        -   Number per flower.—20.        -   Outer petals.—Length (cm): 5.1. Width (cm): 3.0.        -   Inner petals.—Length (cm): 4.6. Width (cm): 2.5.-   Fragrance: Slightly sweet.-   Flower bud (at onset of color):    -   -   Length (cm).—3.2.        -   Diameter (cm).—1.1.        -   Form/shape.—Ovoid.-   Flower color:    -   -   1. General tonality.—Purple stained cream yellow base color            with a purple splashed broad picotee.        -   2. Petals, upper surface.—68C.        -   3. Petals, lower surface.—62C.        -   4. Petals, edge.—64A.        -   5. Petals, center.—68C.        -   6. Early bud.—64A.-   Color distribution: Striated-speckled-shading off.-   Petal macule: Present.-   Flower progression with age: Retains color well.-   Other distinguishing characteristics: Occasional white (whiter than    155D) or purple (approximately 87B) striations.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Gynoecium: Pistillate.    -   -   Pistil number.—1.        -   Pistil length (cm).—3.7.        -   Pistil color.—Whiter than 155D at base up to stigma top;            stigma hairs 68C.        -   Stigma number.—2 or 3.        -   Stigma color.—White with purple flush, whiter than 155D at            base up to stigma top; stigma hairs 68C.        -   Stigma shape.—Filamentous.        -   Style color.—Whiter than 155D.        -   Style number.—2 or 3.-   Ovary:    -   -   Shape.—Ovoid.        -   Surface.—Smooth.        -   Color.—Base: 157A. Body: 144B. Apex: 144B.-   Androecium: None produced.-   Fruit and seeds: None produced.

1. A new and distinct variety of carnation plant, substantially asdescribed and illustrated herein.